The process of training and development is an activity that aims to improve

the performance of the individuals and groups in an organisation.

Organisations curate systematic procedures to educate employees on the
necessary technical and management skills for their roles. Learning more
about the process of training and development can help you support and
encourage your team to develop and improve. In this article, we describe the
training and development process, explain the steps you can take to develop
the process and discuss its benefits of training and development for an
organisation.

Training Process

1. Needs assessment: The first step in the training process is to assess the need for
training the employees. The need for training could be identified through a
diagnosis of present and future challenges and through a gap between the
employee’s actual performance and the standard performance.
The needs assessment can be studied from two perspectives: Individual and group.
The individual training is designed to enhance the individual’s efficiency when not
performing adequately. And whereas the group training is intended to inculcate the
new changes in the employees due to a change in the organization’s strategy.
2. Deriving Instructional Objectives: Once the needs are identified, the objectives
for which the training is to be conducted are established. The objectives could be
based on the gaps seen in the training programmes conducted earlier and the skill
sets developed by the employees.
3. Designing Training Programme: The next step is to design the training
programme in line with the set objectives. Every training programme encompasses
certain issues such as: Who are the trainees? Who are the trainers? What methods
are to be used for the training? What will be the level of training? etc.Also, the
comprehensive action plan is designed that includes the training content, material,
learning theories, instructional design, and the other training requisites.
4. Implementation of the Training Programme: Once the designing of the training
programme is completed, the next step is to put it into the action. The foremost
decision that needs to be made is where the training will be conducted either in-
house or outside the organization.
Once it is decided, the time for the training is set along with the trainer who will be
conducting the training session. Also, the trainees are monitored continuously
throughout the training programme to see if it’s effective and is able to retain the
employee’s interest.

5. Evaluation of the Training Programme: After the training is done, the

employees are asked to give their feedback on the training session and whether
they felt useful or not. Through feedback, an organization can determine the weak
spots if any, and can rectify it in the next session.The evaluation of the training
programme is a must because companies invest huge amounts in these sessions and
must know it’s effectiveness in terms of money.
On-the-job training methods

This type of training also known as job instruction training is most commonly used
as a method. Under this method, the individual is placed on a regular job & taught
the skills necessary to perform the job.

Following are the job training methods.

1. Job Rotation
It involves the movement of the trainee from one job to another. The trainee
receives job knowledge & gains experience from his supervisor or trainer. This
type of training gives an opportunity to the trainee to understand the problem of
employees on other jobs & respect them.

2. Coaching

The trainee is placed under a particular supervisor who functions as a coach in

training the individual. The supervisor provides feedback to the trainee on his
performance & offers him some suggestions for improvement.

3. Job Instruction

This method is also known as step-by-step training. Under this method, the trainer
explains to the trainee the way of doing the jobs, knowledge & skill and allows
him to do the job. The trainer appraises the performance, provides information &
corrects the trainees.

4. Committee Assignment

Under this method, a group of trainees is given and asked to solve an actual
organizational problem. The trainees solve the problem jointly and develop
teamwork.
5. Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a
trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study.
Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in a
regulated occupation.

Off-the-Job Methods

Under this method of training, the trainee is separated from the job situation and
his attention is focused on learning the material related to his future job
performance.

1. Vestibule training

In this method, actual work conditions are simulated in a classroom. Material files
and needed equipment are also used in training. This type is used for training
personnel for clerical and semi-skilled jobs.

2 Role-Playing

It is defined as a method of human interaction that involves realistic behavior in an

imaginary situation. This method of training involves action doing the practice.
This method is mostly used for developing interpersonal interaction and relations.

3. Lecture Method
The lecture is a traditional & direct method of instruction. The instructor organizes
the material & gives it to a group of trainees in the form of a talk. This is beneficial
to train a large group of trainees.

4. Conference

It is a method for clerical, professional & supervisory personnel. This involves a

group of people who put forth ideas, examine & share facts, ideas assumptions &
draw a conclusion..the success of this method depends on the leadership qualities
of the person who leads the group.

5. Programmed Instructions

In recent years this method has become popular the subject matter to be learned is
presented in a series of carefully planned sequential. This method is expensive &
time-consuming.
What is training effectiveness?

Training effectiveness is a determination of whether a training and development

program has resulted in the intended goals. Training and development refer to
activities meant to educate employees on topics related to their field, teach new
skills or enhance existing ones. Normally, the employer provides such programs
after identifying gaps in competencies, outcomes or workplace dynamics. Ideally, a
training and development program should both align with the organization's goals
and engage the participants so they understand the relevance of the activities they
undergo.

When training is effective, it meets the following criteria:

 The participants of the program gain useful knowledge that they can apply to
their work.

 The employees demonstrate improved performance.

 The organization sees a return on the investment it put into the program.

Why is it important to measure training effectiveness?

There are several reasons it's important to evaluate and measure the effectiveness
of a training and development program , including:

Determining return on investment

Organizations invest in training and development so they can see results. For
example, a training program aimed at increasing revenue should ideally result in
more revenue for the organization. By measuring the effectiveness of training, it's
possible to determine whether the program was worthwhile and calculate how
much of the organization's resources should go into the L&D.

Sourcing performance gains

Performance can refer to any aspect of the organization that affects its ability to
succeed, including productivity, efficiency, sales, profits, morale and teamwork.
Evaluating effectiveness can reveal whether performance improvements are due to
the training program or an unrelated factor, such as a popular new manager
improving office morale. This knowledge can help the organization refine its
training methods and figure out how to proceed with future training.

Identifying areas in need of improvement

Measuring effectiveness means determining whether the program has resulted in

desired outcomes. If the outcomes don't meet expectations, the organization knows
to examine why. Perhaps the program doesn't feel relevant to the participants, or it
doesn't address all the important topics needed to produce a holistic solution.
Identifying gaps within the training program itself begins with evaluation and can
lead to better programs in the future.

Retaining employees

Training programs can improve employee retention if they're high-quality and

relevant to the employees who participate. Such programs provide the sense that
the employer cares about guiding their staff and fostering growth for both
professional and personal gain. To ensure quality and relevancy, organizations
should evaluate responses to the programs and make necessary adjustments to
provide employees with the training they want and can benefit from receiving.

Methods for measuring training effectiveness

When measuring the effectiveness of their training programs, organizations

commonly use one of the following evaluation models:

Kirkpatrick's four-level training evaluation

As the name suggests, Kirkpatrick's model comprises four levels. Each level is
necessary and affects the following level. The levels are:

1. Reaction: This level evaluates how the participants of the program felt
about it. They receive feedback forms called smiled sheets that ask about
their reaction, such as "On a scale of one to 10, how satisfied were you with
the training?"

2. Learning: The learning level evaluates how much knowledge the

participants have retained. This is often determined through post-training
interviews or peer reviews.
 3. Behavior: Level three takes place well after the training and relates to the
application of the training to the workplace. Observations and reviews are
the methods by which employers assess at this level.

4. Results: The final level measures effectiveness in terms of whether the

outcomes of the training have met expectations. The employer often
conducts interviews or focus groups to obtain this information.

Anderson model of learning evaluation

Anderson’s Value of Learning model helps to align an organization’s training

programs with its strategic priorities. It does this by focusing on the evaluation of
learning strategy, rather than the outcome of individual programs.

Anderson’s model is a three-stage cycle that helps an organization determine the

best training strategy for their needs.
The three stages are:

Stage 1: Determine the current alignment of training against strategic priorities for
the organization.

Stage 2: Use a range of methods to assess and evaluate the contribution of

learning.

Stage 3: Establish the most relevant approaches for your organization.